Smash Burger Sauce
A creamy, tangy, slightly smoky smash burger sauce made with simple pantry ingredients like mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and spices. Perfect for smash burgers, fries, sandwiches, and more.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise full-fat, good quality
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon dill pickles finely chopped (or dill relish)
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice from the pickle jar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar optional, to balance tang
- freshly ground black pepper to taste (start with about 1/8 teaspoon)
- salt a pinch, only if needed, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and yellow mustard. Whisk or stir until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform in color with no streaks.1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Stir in the finely chopped dill pickles, pickle juice, and Worcestershire sauce until the pickles are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.1 tablespoon dill pickles, 2 teaspoons pickle juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar. Stir until fully blended and the sauce turns a soft, slightly smoky pink. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, freshly ground black pepper
- Taste the sauce and adjust to your liking. Add up to an extra 1/2 teaspoon pickle juice for more tang, a pinch more sugar for sweetness, or a small pinch of salt if the flavors taste flat.2 teaspoons pickle juice, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, salt
- Cover the bowl or transfer the sauce to a small jar with a lid. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld before serving.
- Spread generously on toasted burger buns and serve with hot, freshly cooked smash burgers. Use extra as a dipping sauce for fries or other sides, if desired.
Notes
Makes about 3/4 cup sauce, enough for roughly 6–8 burgers, depending on how much you use. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days; stir before serving. Do not freeze, as mayonnaise can split. For a lighter version, replace up to half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt. For a spicier sauce, add 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce or sriracha. Always add extra salt only at the end, after tasting, since mayo, pickles, and Worcestershire already contribute salt.